


Not As It Seems XXV

by eliniel



Series: Wondrous Tails 2020 [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Back Pain, F/M, Fluff, Massage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23464591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: When Emet-Selch comes home for the night with a backache, the Warrior of Light thinks she has the perfect solution.
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Series: Wondrous Tails 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686646
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	Not As It Seems XXV

**Author's Note:**

> For the Wondrous Tails thing :3 Prompts used: Massage & Kisses
> 
> It's a tad shorter than what I've been writing lately, but it's still cute XD

After a long day of working and training, I laid on my stomach atop the covers of my bed in the quiet of my house. A book laid open on the mattress below me and I flipped through the pages, mindlessly humming as I read. 

I kicked my feet up into the air and crossed them as I leaned my chin into the palm of one hand. 

The warmth of the burning fire reached me easily and I sighed, contentedly. 

I halted my reading and glanced up at the chronometer, then towards the darkened window. 

Now, if only the Ascian would show. Perhaps he’d be amenable to relaxing  _ together _ …

A short while later, after I’d turned over onto my back, holding the book open above my head, I heard the hum of a portal open in the hall. I tilted my head towards the door as it creaked open. Emet-Selch entered, shrugging out of his overcoat. 

When he noticed me, he paused, a small, amused smile spreading across his mouth. 

“What?” I asked him, lowering the book. 

He breathed a laugh as he took a few steps into the room, setting his coat across the back of the rocking chair I kept close to the fireplace. 

“A curious way to read a book.”

I pouted my lips and sat up.

“It was comfortable.” His smile widened as he watched and I lifted a brow in inquiry. He took a seat on the side of the mattress and reached to run a gloved hand through my hair. 

“What a mess you’ve made,” he murmured as he brushed the strands back, loosening any tangles that had formed as I tossed in bed. My face flushed with his motion and I sat back out of instinct. 

“Don’t run from me, hero.” His fingers slid down my warm cheek and gripped my chin, pulling me back to him. “You never cease to intrigue me, you know.” 

He leaned forward slightly, eyes flicking down to my lips for a moment to convey his intentions. I breathed a short laugh, letting my eyes fall shut as his lips brushed against mine. 

But before we were able to deepen the kiss, he released a pained groan and pulled back. 

My eyes flew open, immediately concerned.

I found him cringing, a hand on the small of his back as he arched it. I placed a hand on his arm, gently rubbing my thumb over the material of his tunic. 

“Are you...alright?” I asked, trying to shake the worry from my voice, though I wasn’t sure why I was surprised. For as long as I’d known him, his posture had been  _ horrible _ . He was slumped over the  _ entire _ time.  _ Of course _ his back had to hurt.

“Yes,” he sighed as he tried to straighten. “It has just been a tiresome day.”

I hummed, pursing my lips in thought as I looked back to where I had just been laying down. An idea struck me and I perked up, turning back to him with a smile.

“Take off your shirt,” I ordered. Both of his brows shot up and he was momentarily stunned into silence. When he didn’t move, I lifted my hands between us to begin unfastening the buttons. His brow furrowed and he took hold of my wrists to stop me.

“I hardly think now is the time to-”

I clicked my tongue, pulling my hands from his grip. “Just do it. And lie face down. I’ll be right back.”

I slid off the bed and headed down the hall to the bathing room, his voice calling my name to my back as I exited. I went straight to the cabinet over the faucet and sifted through the different vials I had stored inside. 

When I found the one I wanted, I grabbed a towel and walked back into the bedroom to find that he had done as I asked, even though I knew he was wont to  _ argue _ . His tunic was lying over the side of the bed, his boots neatly set on the floor in front of the nightstand, and the Ascian himself was lying on the bed in much the same position as I had started the night in. 

He noticed me the moment I walked in, twisting to watch me, his expression wary and confused as he honed in on what was in my hands. Before he could comment, however, his face twisted in pain and he was forced to turn back around.

“What are you planning, Warrior of Light?” he asked quietly, his words short.

“You’ll see soon,” I said and motioned to him with my index finger. “Flat.”

His eyes narrowed in suspicion at me for a moment, but complied, again without argument, and lowered himself down, folding his arms under the pillow and resting his head on top. I crawled back onto the mattress, straddling his hips and setting myself down on his backside. I laid the towel on the bed next to us.

“Okay,” I said, releasing a breath as I unstoppered the vial and tipped some of the oil onto the middle of his back. 

He tensed at the feeling and I leaned over him, pressing a soft kiss to the shell of his ear. 

“Relax,” I whispered. “It’ll help you feel better.” He watched me out of the corner of his eye but released a sigh through his nose and nodded. 

I stuck the cork back into the vial and set it onto the nightstand, then repositioned myself over him and began spreading the oil over his skin, firmly pressing against the hard muscles of his back, trying to discern which ones needed the most work. 

Almost as soon as I had started, he hummed, letting his eyes close as he relaxed into my touch. 

I worked slowly, beginning on one shoulder, kneading the skin and carefully watching his face, looking for any signs of discomfort. 

Every once in a while, he would suck in a sharp breath and his jaw would clench. I eased up on the pressure, then, rubbing only my thumbs along the tension that caused him so much pain. 

“What are you using?” he asked after a long bout of silence. “It smells…” He released a quiet groan as I pressed harder on his back. I cringed, quickly lightening my touch. 

“Sorry,” I rasped.

“Don’t be,” he said, his voice tight. “That’s-” Another soft groan. “Harder. Right there.” I bit my lip, hesitating for a moment. I didn’t want to hurt him but- He clicked his tongue. “Stop worrying. It doesn’t hurt.”

I released a measured sigh and let my lip fall from between my teeth, then did as he wanted.

“It’s lavender oil. It’s  _ actually _ meant for cooking, but I know that many adventurers from my early days used it to help with their aches and pains. The smell...is supposed to be soothing.”

“Supposed to be?” He cracked an eye open to peer up at me. “Don’t you know?” I breathed a laugh and shook my head as I reached for the towel to begin cleaning up. 

“I haven't had much time to try it for myself.”

He watched me a few moments longer before shutting his eyes again.

“Do you feel better?” I inquired, wiping the oil from my hands. 

“Yes, hero. Thank you.” I nodded bent over again, running the towel along his back. He hummed once more and when I had finished, I moved off of him so he could sit up. 

I smiled when he had, leaning in to place a short kiss on his lips.

“Good,” I started when I’d pulled away. “Hopefully-”

Before I realized what was happening, he had spun me around and I found myself in the same, prone position he’d just been in. I sucked in a sharp breath as my cheek pressed into my pillow. I tried to sit up, but his firm hand between my shoulders held me down.

“Stay,” he ordered. I blinked in surprise, but nodded and he released his hold on me. I watched from the corner of my eye as he reached for the vial of oil.

“What are you-”

He grinned wide, lips parting enough so that his teeth peeked through. 

“What better time to try it on yourself than now?”

My face flushed again, eyes widening for a moment as he raised his hand. With his snap, my shirt and the top of my smallclothes disappeared and I shivered with the sudden rush of air on my back.

“I don’t-”

“You were  _ just _ complaining of your back hurting mere days ago,” he reminded me. I heard a  _ pop _ as he opened the vial.

“But-”

“Hero.”

I felt him set the oil down on the bed next to me, and the sound of his hands rubbing together entered my ears.

“It would be remiss of me not to reciprocate, my dear Warrior, after you’ve done  _ so much _ for me.”

“You don’t  _ need _ -” He clicked his tongue, cutting my words short.

“Who said anything about  _ need? _ ” he asked, bending over me and placing his hands over my shoulder blades. The warmth the friction had brought to them caused a gasp to slip out from between my lips. 

Just as I had done to him, he began kneading the skin, though his touch was tentative and gentle.

“Oh,  _ Twelve _ ,” I breathed.

“You’ve taken such  _ good _ care of me, Warrior of Light,” he started, leaning over further, placing a slow kiss between the blades. “Perhaps…” Another barely brushed my skin a bit lower as his hands moved with him. “I  _ want _ to return the favor.”

A whimper escaped me as I melted into the blanket and I found that I couldn’t find the words to argue anymore. 

Instead, I fell silent, exhaling a deep breath. My eyes slid shut and I relaxed into the feeling as he continued to work me, continuing to lay reverent kisses over every ilm of skin that he touched, the soft, soothing scent of lavender wafting around us.


End file.
